Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· Compyled in the French tongue by Charles Steuens, and Iohn Liebault, Doctors of Physicke. And translated into English by Richard Surflet, practitioner in physicke. Now newly reuiewed, corrected, and augmented, with diuers large additions, out of the works of Serres his Agriculture, Vinet his Maison champestre, French. Albyterio in Spanish, Grilli in Italian; and other authors. And the husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England: by Geruase Markham. The whole contents are in the page following

CHAP. XLIIII.

What space must be left betwixt Fruit-trees when they are remoued.

THat you may fitly appoint the standings of trees, and their distances one from another, in respect of the trees themselues, compared one with a∣nother: you must first consider the height, fulnesse of the leaues and boughes, and spreading of the same, according as euerie sort of tree doth ordinarily grow and attaine vnto: and besides the ordinarie, how by place af∣foording aboundance of nourishment, the tree may exceed and surpasse it selfe in height and breadth, for that fruit-trees would not be encombred aboue head, or ouer his top, but would haue the breathing and blowing of certaine winds at libertie, and with sufficient space fauourably to light vpon them, and withall, the fruition and be∣nefit of the Sunne: in all which points, the vnequall proportion of one tree vnto a∣nother in height or breadth doth offer let and hinderance. And yet further, if they would haue their waggings and plyings to and fro to be free, that so they may play 〈◊〉〈◊〉 libertie when the wind tosseth them, how greatly should the exceeding greatnesse of the neighbour trees disturbe and trouble one another, if care and aduise be not take•• in the first planting of them? And therefore you must haue regard and cast an eye a∣bout you for this cause, that so you may well and profitably appoint out your distan∣ces and spaces betwixt one and another: for in good and fat grounds, where trees may grow much, you must allow more space than elsewhere. And further you must note, that one tree planted well at libertie, whatsoeuer the place be of it selfe, doth fructifie and beare a great deale more.

If you mind to plant thicke and grosse trees all on a row, and vpon high waies, and against the hedges of fields, then you must leaue them some fiue and thi••••e foot distant one from another: but and if you intend to plant manie rowes in one and the same place, then you must be sure to leaue fiue and fortie foot space be∣twixt euerie two, and as much betwixt one ranke and another, that so the boughes of each tree may the more freely spread themselues every way vpon their emptie and vacant sides.

As for Peare-trees, Apple-trees, and others of that bignesse, if you plant onely one row by the sides of your field-hedges, or elsewhere, it will be ynough to allow twentie feet betwixt one and another: but and if you set two rowes vpon the hedge of your Garden allies, then you must allow them some fiue and twentie feet betwixt one and another euerie way square, in such sort, as that as well the alley as the spac•• betwixt euerie two trees on either side may make a perfect square of fiue and twen∣tie feet in euerie line: and if the distance allowed them be of lesse quantitie, then it must be somewhat answered and helped, by not planting of them euerie one right ouer one against another, but as if you should wrap and lay them vp one within a∣nother, to let the full and planted place of the one side stand ouer-against the void and emptie of the other. Some would, that there should some small trees b•• planted amongst those great trees which you thus set about the alleyes for the times whiles they are in growth: but this would not doe well, if either they should be suffered to continue there alwaies (because it would breake the rule and precept deliuered before couching such course) neither yet if they should be taken vp af∣terwards; and the reason thereof is, because they draw away and eat vp the iuice and nourishment of the earth, vvhich should wholly bee imployed in growing and furthering of those which are intended for the inclosing and defending of the alleyes.

If you should goe about to plant a whole Field, or quarter of your Garden, with great fruit-trees, such as before named, you must then set them checkerwise, and allow

them betwixt twentie and thirtie foot of distance the one from the other euerie way, that is to say, from tree to tree, and from row to row.

Plum-trees, and other trees bearing stone-fruit, and being of the like size of big∣nes••e, will not admit vnder foureteene or fi••teene feet distance one from another in euerie row: but and if you will onely plant two rowes vpon the sides of your garden alleyes, then they need not aboue six foot distance square; but you must looke, that this proportion, or whatsoeuer other that you s••t downe to your selfe, doe ••ustly an∣swere the proportion of the length of the place intended to be planted.

Sweet Cherri••-trees and bitter Cherrie-trees doe looke to haue allowance of di∣stance betwixt tenne and twelue foot: but and if they be to be planted vpon the sides of the great alley of your garden, then it will suffice to allow them betwixt nine and tenne.

The lesser trees, as Cherrie-trees, Quince-trees, Figge-trees, Hasel Nut-trees, and such like, are sufficiently allowed, if they be set distant betwixt eight and nine foot in your greene Grasse-plot, or Orchard, and betwixt fiue and six in Alleyes and Gar∣den rowes. When you would plant two rowes, ei••her of them of seuerall kinds of trees, then set the lesser on that side that the Sunne falleth first vpon, that so the sha∣dow of the greater may not disaduantage them.

Notes

• The greatnesse of trees 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be considered.
• The space and distance be∣twixt trees.
• Plum-trees.
• Sweet Cherrie-trees.
• Common, or the lesser sort of Cherrie-trees.